Before I started cutting into the good fabric, I tested the unaltered pattern by making a muslin. The coat has two sets of pieces: one larger set for the coat exterior, and one slightly smaller for the lining. For the muslin, I just used the lining pieces, omitting the collar and making only one sleeve.

Trying it on, I found that I would need to lengthen it about an inch to make the waist fall where it should. Otherwise, everything seemed to work.

I’m used to altering pattern pieces, but I think this is the first time I have had to lengthen 6 pieces for a single waist adjustment!

Muslin front view

Muslin side view

54 pieces? Seriously?

Pattern pieces in hand, I was ready to start cutting. Since I had 5 different materials to cut, I made a checklist. Between the wool, the lining, the underlining, the interfacing and the collar, I had to cut 54 pieces. Yep – 54.

For the exterior, I cut out the main fabric and an interfacing or an underlining piece for each coat part. Following along with the class, I resolved to get all of those prepared before moving on to the lining.

I used the instructor’s recommendation and applied fusible knit interfacing to the wrong side of the coat’s front, front facing, sleeve facing, and under-collar. Then I re-pinned the pattern piece to transfer markings and cut notches. I used tracing paper and a tracing wheel for the markings.

TIP: use a dedicated press cloth for fusibles. Mark the top “this side up” so that any stray adhesive comes off on one side of the press cloth instead of the iron.

I backed the remaining coat pieces with a flat-lining (black cotton lawn). First, I pinned the cotton lawn to the wrong side of the wool, gently pulling the edge inward to accommodate the “turn of the cloth,” or the extra space the thick exterior fabric takes from the seam allowance. I used my japanese basting thread to hand baste the lawn in place. As with the fused pieces, I re-pinned the pattern piece back in place. I cut notches and transferred markings, this time using tailor’s tacks.

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It’s going to be a little while before I’m ready to start putting the pieces together, but I promise you will be the first to know!

Until then, happy sewing!

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